Legal Fund to support Ian and Keith
Donation protected
As you know, last year the Campaign for the Inclusion for People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CIDHH) launched a legal suit against the Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) after it closed its membership to only its board of directors.
CIDHH was concerned that these actions were oppressive towards CHS membership and left an organization that was created and built to serve the Deaf and hard of hearing without any decision-making input from that community. After number of attempts to discuss these concerns with CHS, and with no response, CIDHH took legal action
Together with two individuals, one a parent of a deaf child and the other a long-time volunteer and former board member, CIDHH challenged the recent CHS membership changes in the courts. We took this action because we strongly believe the actions of CHS were oppressive towards the interests of its membership and caused serious repercussions for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Unfortunately, our case never had the opportunity to go before the courts. CHS launched a preliminary challenge claiming i) that CIDHH wasn’t the proper applicant, and ii) that if the “former” CHS members wanted to have their complaint heard they would need to do so by way of confidential arbitration. The courts have unfortunately agreed with CHS on this procedural motion. While the courts may have sided with the CHS on the issue of who is an appropriate applicant, the underlying claim was never heard by the courts.
CIDHH heard from so many in the community that they were concerned about the future of CHS, its direction, and whether it was actually serving the community it was established to work for. We know members of the community were scared to speak out, as they feared the CHS would retaliate against them. So, along with these two concerned members, we stood up and took action.
Friends, we need your help. We have had two volunteers step up and take on significant financial risk to fight for CHS membership and Deaf and Hard of Hearing representation as personal applicants. These two individuals now face significant costs awards from the courts. We need yourfinancial support today to support them and show them our appreciation for stepping forward for the community as a whole.
Together we can ensure that CHS is returned to a state of good governance and transparency with the community it was built to serve.
CIDHH was concerned that these actions were oppressive towards CHS membership and left an organization that was created and built to serve the Deaf and hard of hearing without any decision-making input from that community. After number of attempts to discuss these concerns with CHS, and with no response, CIDHH took legal action
Together with two individuals, one a parent of a deaf child and the other a long-time volunteer and former board member, CIDHH challenged the recent CHS membership changes in the courts. We took this action because we strongly believe the actions of CHS were oppressive towards the interests of its membership and caused serious repercussions for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Unfortunately, our case never had the opportunity to go before the courts. CHS launched a preliminary challenge claiming i) that CIDHH wasn’t the proper applicant, and ii) that if the “former” CHS members wanted to have their complaint heard they would need to do so by way of confidential arbitration. The courts have unfortunately agreed with CHS on this procedural motion. While the courts may have sided with the CHS on the issue of who is an appropriate applicant, the underlying claim was never heard by the courts.
CIDHH heard from so many in the community that they were concerned about the future of CHS, its direction, and whether it was actually serving the community it was established to work for. We know members of the community were scared to speak out, as they feared the CHS would retaliate against them. So, along with these two concerned members, we stood up and took action.
Friends, we need your help. We have had two volunteers step up and take on significant financial risk to fight for CHS membership and Deaf and Hard of Hearing representation as personal applicants. These two individuals now face significant costs awards from the courts. We need yourfinancial support today to support them and show them our appreciation for stepping forward for the community as a whole.
Together we can ensure that CHS is returned to a state of good governance and transparency with the community it was built to serve.
Organizer
Campaign for the Inclusion of People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Organizer
York, ON
